Gary Cooper - The Signature Collection DVD Credits:

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Gary Cooper - The Signature Collection DVD Release Date: 14th November 2006

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Gary Cooper - The Signature Collection DVD Review:

Sergeant York: Two-Disc Special Edition

This is quite obviously the prize in the package. Sergeant York was Gary Cooper’s Oscar winning role as the Alvin York, a Tennessee soldier during World War I. Based on a true story, the real Alvin York was a consultant on the film. Although the film is titled Sergeant York, the first half of the film is about Alvin’s home life as he struggles to get better land for his family and in order to woo the prettiest girl in town. He also finds God in just enough time to go to war against his peaceful will, but in the end becomes a hero. It is a rousing tale that takes its time to get to the battles, which are remarkably exciting, so by the time he is in war we have already spent a great deal of time with him. A two-disc special edition has a commentary track by film historian Jeanne Basinger, which is a bit dry at spots, but the real stars of the disc are the new featurettes. There are two documentaries, a new featurette, and some vintage footage as well. There is also included the usual Warner Bros. extras, such as a classic Porky Pig cartoon.

The Fountainhead

Although this film is oddly melodramatic in the story, Cooper and his co-star Patricia Neal are so convincing in their roles that it is easy to get caught up in the absurdity. It is the same effect that The O.C, has on millions of viewers. They know how to make bad look good. The film is based on a novel by Ayn Rand, who also scripted the film and insisted that nothing be changed. Cooper is Howard Roark, a proud architect who refuses to sacrifice his vision just to please the masses. For some reason an architect critic working for the most popular newspaper in the city decides to take Roark down. The rest of the film is filled with Roark fighting against this man and his desires for a woman he cannot have. The DVD has a new featurette on the making of The Fountainhead and a theatrical trailer.

Dallas

This a post-Civil War western with some good western action when it isn’t being too preachy about making Confederate soldiers feel okay about the war, especially since they lost. Gary Cooper is Blayde Hollister, an ex-Confederate from Georgia who becomes a wanted man as soon as the war is over, but he is on his own mission for revenge against a group of men he has a grievance against from the war. He seeks them out with the help of Wild Bill and a few other friends. The relationship between Hollister and a woman in the town is uncomfortable because she is meant to belong to his friend, and there is a certain amount of ridiculousness to the way she falls for him.

Springfield Rifle

This time Cooper is on the north side and The Civil War is still underway. Based on the real-life story of Major Les Kearney, a soldier who joined the enemy to catch culprits stealing from the U.S. army, Cooper plays the role easily. It isn’t much of a challenge for him and the film itself is entertaining enough. The interesting part of the movie comes from the addition of the Springfield Rifle into the story, which changed the war. The entire film is about these guns, as well as horses, and they aren’t used until the very end of the film.

The Wreck of the Mary Deare

This was the film that Alfred Hitchcock turned down in order to shoot North by Northwest instead, and you can see why he would have considered it. Although the film is often slow moving, the opening thirty minutes have some great at-sea action with Gary Cooper and co-star Charlton Heston battling the odd on an abandoned ship. Once this sequence is over it turns into a weighty drama for most of the rest of the film, and the mystery ends up being a lot less interesting than you might expect. The ending is effective, but also somewhat anti-climactic.

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Gary Cooper - The Signature Collection DVD review written by: Ryan Izay